The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) report of 2013, indicated 108,030 domestic violence incidents were reported in Florida. Additional data suggests, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. Furthermore, when considering SV and DV victimization, between 14% and 25% of women are sexually assaulted by intimate partners during their relationship. (NCADV, 2015)

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Statistics, specifically the report for Osceola County; in 2017, there was an incident rate of 1,941 Domestic Violence cases and an approximate of 144 Sexual Assault related offenses. (FDLE, 2017)

Due to the reported incidents and recurrent concern from community leaders, agencies and individuals, VSC partnered with a group of professionals to provide information related on DV and SV awareness. Most recently, in 2017, a group of Hispanics including Puerto Ricans were impacted by a natural disaster that influenced the need of seeking shelter in the state of Florida. As a result, numerous individuals including men, women, elderly and children have been temporarily residing in local hotels. Some community concerns have developed including: financial hardship, homelessness, fatal and non-fatal cases related to domestic violence, and other crimes. Ultimately, distressing the functionality and mental health of the Puerto Rican families.

One of the most significant points discussed was the importance of Roles and Ethical implications when witnessing a crime or supporting a survivor. VSC Advocates informed community leaders on the various responders that can assist in the event of a crime or crisis including: Law Enforcement, Victim Advocates, Crisis Counselors, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), EMT’s, Fire Fighters and other agencies that may support further needs of victims. As social science professionals, is imperative to highlight the roles of specialized teams and community leaders. Thus, an open communication was developed in the importance to understand limitations and strengths, displayed by individuals, in the event of working a crisis. Some guidelines were exposed such as: trauma focused professional intervention, ethical code for social science practice, mandatory reporting, vicarious disorder, secondary victimization and awareness of community resources.

VSC Advocates offered the following information and strategies:

• Definition: What is a Crisis?
• Learning how to identify indicators present in crisis situation.
• CRISIS Intervention strategies: assessment of a situation, things to consider when approaching a victim-survivor, Proactive verbal intervention towards a victim (tone, volume, and language) and body language awareness.
• Physical and Emotional Common Reactions to Victimization
• Victimization in a different culture
• Empowerment skills: Appropriate approach to be conducted in a crisis situation (verbal phrases, validation of emotions and victim emotional regulation to assess needs. In the effort to empower a victim-survivor.
• Safety tips and planning (injunction process & reporting to LE)
• Types of Victims, Victims’ rights, and Mandatory Reporting
• Community Resources: Response from Agencies when working with DV & SV incidents, Information and contacts of services in the event of a crisis.
• Role & Ethical implications

 If you or a loved one is experiencing consequences associated with being a Victim of a Crime, reach out to Victim Service Center through our 24/7 Crisis Helpline (407) 500 – HEAL. You can also reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or through their online chat.

At VSC we care for Victims, contact us, we would love to be part of your healing process!

ROSA M. ABRAHAM, MS | Victim Advocate & Crisis Counselor

References:

Domestic Violence national statistics (2015). Retrieved from www.ncadv.org

Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Florida Uniform Crime Report (2017) Retrieved from www.fdle.state.fl.us

In 1996, the Board of County Commissioners agreed that a portion of the jails’ proceeds needed to be allocated to recovery services for crime survivors in the community and decided to allocate the funding from payphones in the jail to create a support agency. Commissioner Mary Johnson helped lead the charge for victims’ rights and the need for community services. By 1999 the Victim Service Center had opened its doors in the heart of downtown Orlando and was ready to help victims on their journey to healing.

In 2001, the Victim Service Center was incorporated as a nonprofit organization and became Victim Service Center of Orange County, Inc. That same year we opened the Sexual Assault Treatment Center (SATC), providing forensic examinations and medical intervention to sexual assault survivors. VSC ultimately became the only certified rape crisis program in Orange County through the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) just four years later in 2005.

2012 was a big year for for VSC; we became the Victim Service Center of Central Florida, Inc., moved to our current home on Michigan Street, and expanded to Osceola County offering all of our same services out of the Care Center. We also expanded our client offerings to include a full-time in-house therapy program to help clients dive deeper into their healing.

In the summer of 2014, VSC developed partnerships with the local detention centers in Orange and Osceola County to provide inmates with access to VSC’s sexual assault helpline directly. This effort assisted the detention centers in meeting the Prison Rape elimination Act requirements and allowed inmates who have experienced sexual assault while in detention the opportunity to speak with experienced Victim Advocates trained in the area of sexual violence and crisis intervention. In January 2015, VSC was contracted to provide in-person Sexual Trauma Services at the Orange County Detention Center. Services include Education and Awareness groups as well as individual and group Therapy aimed to assist female inmates with addressing emotional issues resulting from sexual trauma.  The program offers the opportunity for the participants to identify and replace dysfunctional coping patterns with appropriate coping skills, which is essential for long-term change and recovery to occur.

In 2016, we proudly expanded with a third office in Longwood to serve Seminole County, further extending our reach and providing services to more victims in need.

In order to keep up with our growth we actively began  fundraising to enhance our opportunities as a center with our first event at the Orlando Science Center in 2007 and later moved to the Mennello Museum of Art where we officially launched our signature event, Cheers to Change. [Some might remember our Executive Director, Lui, hanging signs off the edge of the museum.] Now five years later, Cheers to Change has grown into a highly anticipated 400+ person event, which is in large part due to our loyal and generous supporters who came out to make a difference in the lives of victims in our community.  Thank you for always making joining us at Cheers to Change a priority year after year.

Outreach and prevention has always been part of our work, but in 2015 we officially launched an education training program. We offer training’s on bullying as well as sexual harassment and assault to organizations and businesses. Our anti-bullying youth focused trainings cover the understanding that while it is never okay to bully another individual often times the bully is also being bullied. Our educators discuss how to stand up and be an active bystander for someone in these situations with direct, distract, and delegation options. Recently, we have been having a lot of conversation around our healthy relationship trainings, which can be adapted for any age where the conversation revolves around boundaries, trust, and consent.

With such a strong seventeen year history you might ask what could be next for VSC? While we have grown as an organization, there is still so much work to be done to help victims and spread the message of prevention. Nationally, according to RAINN, every 98 seconds another individual experiences sexual assault, and out of those, two out of three will go unreported. It is our responsibility as an organization, and as a community to help bring healing to those individuals by letting them know it is safe to seek help. With your help we can continue to bring healing to those who need it most.

Written by: Orialis, VSC Crisis Counselor

Many victims are in an intimate relationship with their abuser. Sexual assault and domestic violence exist within the scope of oppression. It is how a perpetrator abuses power and control over a victim. A perpetrator can use a variety of violent and non-violent methods to take away a victim’s agency. These may include: violence, intimidation, emotional abuse, controlling money, making the victim feel like they are “crazy”, and sexual assault. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) reports that about 15-25% of women are sexually assaulted by an intimate partner. Sexual violence is another way of controlling and taking away a person’s agency. Although some domestic violence victims have outward signs of abuse, many suffer abuse in other ways.

Sometimes the wounds of domestic and sexual violence are invisible. Victims of intimate partner violence are at a high risk for depression and anxiety. Ninety-four percent of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape, and one third contemplate suicide.

One particularly dangerous aspect of domestic violence is the isolation that results from the victimization. As a way to control the victim, an abuser may not let the victim remain in contact with their friends or family. In some cases, the victim doesn’t even realize they have been isolated.

In my experience as a crisis counselor, many of my clients have stated that they didn’t seek help sooner because they were scared. Imagine that the person that is supposed to love and care for you is also the person hurting you the most. It can be a huge feat to trust others following this type of betrayal. When a victim fears that they will not be believed or if they are isolated from resources, they may be less likely to seek support. Many of my clients have been dealing with this silently for years before feeling safe enough to ask for help.

Oftentimes, our society does not believe that an individual can be a victim of sexual violence by their spouse or partner. As long as we continue this narrative and do not acknowledge the sexual violence between partners, we dismiss a huge portion of survivors. The link between sexual violence and domestic violence in undeniable.

For survivors, you are worthy.  You are worth of understanding, empathy, and kindness. At the Victim Service Center, we are here to believe you and to help you. We want to walk alongside you through your journey. To make an appointment, please call 407-254-9415. If you need to speak with our crisis counselor, please call 407-500-HEAL.

The Victim Service Center operates the 24/7 Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline which not only serves victims, but also  professionals in the community. Occasionally, we receive calls that require a Victim Advocate to provide services to both the victim and also first responders.

Following a sexual assault, a victim may not know where to go for help which may lead them to the nearest hospital emergency room where they are met by a nurse and hospital staff. Once the nurse becomes aware a sexual assault has occurred, the critical management of the victim’s care becomes the utmost importance. During this time, we will receive a call through our Crisis Hotline from hospital staff who may be uncertain of how to properly preserve forensic evidence, care for the patient’s emotional needs, and advise them on legal options. At this point, the VSC Team is alerted, and our Crisis Response Team steps in.

On one particular night, I received a call on the crisis hotline after an elderly woman disclosed to hospital staff that she had been the victim of a sexual assault. The nurse at the hospital was struggling with how to care for the patient. The nurse, who was nervous and eager to follow proper protocol, contacted the hotline with the victim nearby and asked if I would walk them both through the process of what to do next.

With careful consideration, I assisted the nurse by answering all questions and concerns, explaining the current forensic protocols, and assured them the victim would receive all the care she needed that evening. I then spoke with the victim directly and offered support. We talked about common feelings and reactions, options with regard to reporting to law enforcement, and what to expect for the rest of the evening. I assured the victim that I would be the person meeting her at our confidential site. The victim was relieved not to have to tell another person her story.

The victim then came to VSC’s confidential forensic exam site where I met her, along with our Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. On this night, I was called to assist not only the victim, but also a professional. The victim received forensic collection, a shower and a new change of clothes, provided safe transportation home and follow-up services.

The hotline helps many victims directly, but we are proud to be able to offer services and support to first responders as well.  We are grateful that professionals in Central Florida recognize the importance of such a valuable resource, like the sexual assault hotline, where they can be connected and receive support from Victim Advocates highly trained to respond to sexual assault victims.